


Conformity Is Boring

by LoudenSwainfangirl, Michi27



Series: SPN Kink Bingo 2018 [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Basketball player Gabriel, Cheerleader Sam, Fluffy fic, Head Injury, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Rated T for language, SPN Kink Bingo 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-06 09:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14639057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoudenSwainfangirl/pseuds/LoudenSwainfangirl, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Michi27/pseuds/Michi27
Summary: Cheerleader Sam Winchester has been a secret admirer of basketball player Gabriel Novak for several years. A rough play on the court may give Sam the oppertunity he's been hoping for to get to know Gabriel.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Tumblr SPN Kink Bingo. Square filled for High School AU.

The squeal of rubber soled shoes is punctuated by the bounce of the basketball shortly before the soft swish of the net. The crowd errupts into cheers while Sam Winchester squats his long legs, plants his hands wide over the hips of the girl in front of him and lifts.

The hem of her short skirt brushes against Sam’s face as she settles onto his shoulder. The squad of seven finish their chant of victory before all are returned to the floor and they fall back into one line to face the basketball court.

Sam claps and cheers between Meg and Jo, seemingly in support of the entire team, but Sam’s eyes only track one player as the Varsity team sets up their formation under the net; number 13, worn by senior point guard, Gabriel Novak. Sam would never admit it out loud to anyone but he’s been watching Gabriel for nearly three years; on the basketball court, on the baseball field, in the halls at school and anywhere in between.

He’d been reluctant to join the Cheer squad despite his friend Michael’s enthusiastic urging, “Dude, we get to lift girls into the air! You saw how popular the guys were last year, they dig a guy who’s willing to participate in a chick sport.”

The appeal of increased popularity with the female students was a small pull for Sam but Gabriel was the factor that pushed Sam to give in. He’d always attended every one of his games, including the away games, so he figured why not give it a try.

He’s never regretted the decision. So far he's gained several new friends and just as Michael had predicted, his popularity with the girls received a boost. The attention was nice but more importantly, Sam has had several opportunities to exchange words with Gabriel. True, the “conversations” were no more than a quick thanks over a returned ball during practice but as far as Sam was concerned, it was a start.

Another advantage of being part of a coed cheer squad is having an inside look at what the girls are saying about the boys. Sam, Michael and Chuck have all been accepted as “one of them” which means they’re privy to their locker room talks. If Sam were being honest, the conversations Meg, Jo, Jess and Becky have are down right boring and a waste of breath but sometimes....sometimes they pique his interest. Those times being when they’re all giggling over the players.

He knows what the girls all say about Gabriel. They all think he's very funny since he's always the first to give a teacher a hard time but none of them give him too much notice. He may not have defined muscles or a "chiseled face" much like some of the other guys but that's not what Sam's interested in anyway.

He admires the way Gabriel watches out for his team mates, he's quick to diffuse altercations on the floor with a smart ass comment and he's great at bringing moral up when the scores are low. If Sam's opinion mattered to anyone, which he finds highly doubtful, he finds Gabriel Novak very attractive; starting with his quick little sneer all the way down to his short, bowed legs.

The cheerleaders watch the players run up and down the court, chanting out their cheers and pumping up the crowd. It's in the remaining seconds of the first quarter when it happens.

The home team travels towards the net in one mass of bodies. Gabriel rounds the crowd and cuts through the middle with ease. His foot and knee rise up as he attempts a layup. The shot is quickly blocked by a member of the visiting team; #66, Cole Trenton, a slim but mean senior with a reputation for playing dirty.

This time is no different. After he shoves his elbow into Gabriel’s face he follows through with a shove of his shoulder. The crowd lets out a collective gasp as Gabriel slams to ground landing on his behind. In the tangle of bodies under the net, he’s pushed once again, this time causing him to skitter across the floor where he comes to rest on his back, mere feet from where Sam stands. His head slams hard onto the gymnasium floor with a stomach turning _crack_.

Sam rushes forward in time to see Gabriel’s smoked butterscotch colored eyes roll back under his lids as he lets out a loud moan. “Back up!” Sam cries to the swarm of students and players crowding around Gabriel. “Let him breathe,” he adds as he holds his arms out wide and shuffles backward. Most students return to the bleachers as Coach Singer and the school nurse drops down beside Gabriel.

From where he stands, Sam isn’t able to make out the responses to the questions Nurse Moseley is asking but he’s relieved to at least be able to hear Gabriel’s voice. A few times his teammates laugh, loosening the tight coil of worry in Sam’s gut. Ms. Moseley finishes her initial exam and pats Gabriel on the shoulder.

“Alright, Boy, enough of this lounging around, lets get you up.” Coach Singer turns to his players, his barked out command of, “Get back to the bench and huddle up,” sends them scattering like leaves in the wind. Next, he lifts his head and locks his gaze on Sam, “Winchester, is it?”

“Yes, Sir. Uh, Sam,” Sam replies as he steps closer.

“You look like you can handle a little weight, can you help Mr. Novak up and get him to the locker room?”

Sam glances back at his squad who all nod as one, letting him know they’re good to finish the game without him. “Of course,” he tells the Coach.

He walks over to Gabriel, pushing down his nerves as he approaches. Gabriel accepts the hand Sam offers and he pulls him to his feet. Gabriel lets out a rush of air and Sam steadies him with a hand to his waist. "Go slow," Sam tells him quietly as he watches his eyes swim in and out of focus.

Gabriel nods his head then groans with the movement, "Remind me not to do that," he tells Sam as he starts to shuffle towards the door. He visibly flinches when the crowd cheers for him. "Someone hit the mute button." An ice pack is thrust into Gabriel's hands right before he begins to walk.

"I'll be in shortly, Sam. Just stick close to him, keep that ice on his head and come find me if he loses consciousness"

Sam nods at the nurse even though he finds it ridiculous that Gabriel's being ushered away from an injury with only the aide of another student. He grabs Gabriel's arm as they walk out of the loud gym.

The hallway between the locker room and gymnasium is eerily quiet, broken only by Gabriel’s voice, “Am I out of everyone’s sight now, Stretch?”

“Yeah, wh-”

“Good,” he sighs as he slumps against the concrete wall.

“Whoa!” Sam rushes forward and grabs a hold of Gabriel’s shoulders. “Why didn’t you let me help you out there if it’s that bad?” He supports Gabriel’s weight with the help of the wall and raises his arm clutching the ice pack, “Put that on your head and let me help you.”

“Gotta save face, mi amigo,” Gabriel all but sighs out as his eyes squeeze shut and he lets out a small squeak when the ice hits his head.

“Ridiculous,” Sam huffs as he pulls him away from the wall as gently as he’s able. “Never pegged you as the macho type.” He wraps his arm tight around Gabriel’s shoulders.”Smart ass, yes, but macho? No.”

“You can peg me anytime you want to Stretch,” Gabriel lets out a moan as Sam leads him towards the locker room. “Maybe after the room has stopped spinning and there isn’t a freight train plowing through my brain.”

“Like I said, smart ass. And I do have a name,” Sam adds as he pushes open the locker room door. He pretends to be annoyed in an effort to cover up the fact he’s actually flustered by the implications of Gabriel’s teasing.

Once inside, Gabriel pulls out from under Sam’s arm and slides down the wall opposite a bank of lockers and rests his forehead on his bent knees.

“There are several benches to sit on.”

“Less spinning here,” comes Gabriel’s muffled reply.

Sam watches his shoulders rise and fall, “I really think you need to see a doctor, you hit your head pretty hard.”

“Yeah, I know, I was there,” his shoulders jump and he sucks air in through his teeth as he settles the ice pack into place. “I’ve had worse, I once got nailed in the shoulder with a 80 mile an hour line drive while covering shortstop.”

“Yeah, I know I was there for that too,” Sam mutters as he begins to pace. “I can’t believe they just gave you an ice pack and sent you on your way alone. What the fuck? What if you have a -”

“Sam!”

Hearing Gabriel say his name stops Sam dead in his tracks. Huh, so he does know his name after all. He turns on his heel and looks down at Gabriel then winces over how pale his face has become. “What?”

“Will you please just sit down, I already feel like I’m on a ship getting tossed out on the ocean. Your pacing is making it worse and dear lord please stop _yelling_ , the echo is driving spikes into the back of my head.”

“Shit, I’m sorry. Did Ms. Moseley say if you could have Ibuprofen? I may have some in my locker.” Since Sam wasn't able to hear the conversation between them he feels he should ask for guidance.

Sam winces again as Gabriel shakes his head then groans. “No, she just told me to keep the ice on and she’d be in to check on me soon.”

“How about some water?” Sam doesn’t wait for an answer, choosing instead to unlock his locker and pull out a plastic water bottle. He crouches in front of Gabriel and sets it on the floor next to Gabriel’s foot, “Sorry, it’s warm.”

The hand holding the ice pack slides down his neck and falls to his bent knee like it weighs ten pounds. His left foot slides out under where Sam squats until his leg is straight. His eyes are closed again while his breathing comes out in short pants. Gabriel’s hair is short save for his bangs which now hang plastered to his forehead and down over his eyes.

Sam only hesitates briefly before reaching out with two fingers and brushes the hair from his forehead. It won’t be until hours from now that Sam will recall how he’s fantasized over doing this very thing countless times while watching Gabriel on the basketball court. How every time he’d stick out his lower lip to blow the hair from his face Sam, would wish it were his fingers moving the strands. But that’ll come later, for now Sam’s only concerned with how much pain Gabriel seems to be in. “Hey, Gabe, you okay? You look like you may-”

Sam takes a cursory look around the room then springs to his feet. With two long strides to his right, he grabs a garbage can, takes two more strides to the left then drops it in front of Gabriel just in time for him to lurch forward and lets loose into the can.

He rubs a hand across Gabriel’s neck, down his back then up again, leaving his hand to rest at the nape of his neck. “Just give yourself a second,” he urges as Gabriel tries to pull away from the garbage can.

The words have barely cleared Sam’s mouth before Gabriel’s bent over the can again, dry heaving. His knuckles are white as he grips the thin edge, “Well fuck,” he mutters as he catches his breath.

Sam picks up the water bottle that’s been knocked over in the shuffle and unscrews the top, “Here swish out your mouth then I’ll get this out of your face.”

He waits as Gabriel does just that then knots the liner and sets the can back by the door.

“I don’t want to leave you alone but I really think I should go get someone. I’m no doctor but I’m pretty sure that’s a sign of a serious head injury.”

“Or a sign of someone who’s really fucking dizzy.” Gabriel's voice is raw from vomiting and yet it still has that playful edge to it. He tilts his chin up and locks his gaze with Sam, “Honestly, I feel a whole lot better now.”

Sam chews on his bottom lip, wanting to trust him but also worried for his safety.

“Please, Sam, just,” he drops his gaze to the floor then runs his hand through his hair. The slight tremor Sam sees in his hand is also riding his words, “Could you just sit here with me?”

Sam isn’t sure what convinces him to drop down beside Gabriel. It could be because he does in fact trust Gabriel, it could be because he’s never heard Gabriel sound this solemn before, or it could also be the small selfish part of him that wants to please Gabriel.

Sam picks up the ice pack, “I should go get you another one, this one’s toast.”

“Nah, I wouldn’t use it anyway,” he grabs the blue packet and tosses to the side then takes a long pull of water. “Well, this isn’t how I saw my night ending.”

“Sorry you’re missing the rest of the game.”

“Hey, I could say the same for you, Cheerboy.”

Sam snorts out a laugh and shoves his shoulder against Gabriel’s. “Don’t start.”

“Ow! Want me to yack on you? Hey,” he adds, “you were quick on the draw there. I thought for sure I’d be cleaning up a mess.”

Sam shrugs a shoulder, “I live with someone who enjoys his drink, you get kind of used to reading body language.”

Sam braces for the look of pity from the guy he’s watched from a far for so very long. That look never comes. “Well I thank you for keeping me from embarrassing myself, this was bad enough but that would’ve been worse.”

“No need to be embarrassed. You know, you should really ice your eye.” Without even thinking, Sam reaches out and runs his index finger over the arch of Gabriel’s left cheekbone. The skin is an angry red where Cole's elbow hit him.

“Fucking, Trenton. He plays dirty and the refs always let him get away with it.”

“I know, I remember when he all but body slammed Max against the wall. You know, I hear chicks like black eyes,” Sam tells him as he looks away, hoping his cheeks don’t burn red.

Gabriel clears his throat softly before asking, “What about guys?”

Sam’s neck turns towards Gabriel abruptly, a soft gasp leaving his lips. Gabriel’s brows are arched high as he waits for Sam’s answer.

“I suppose some do,” he manages to stammer out.

“There’s only one I’m curious about.”

Sam’s chest feels tight. Surely he doesn’t mean him, right? He’s only spoken a few words to Sam. He’s never given the slightest hint of any interest. But then again, maybe-

“Why don’t you play ball, Sam?” Gabriel’s question cuts Sam’s panic off mid-thought. “Legs like that. I bet you could clear a court in no time flat. Why put on a cheer uniform? he points to Sam’s sleeveless shirt and long pants. "Wait, I know, you did it for the girls, didn’t you? I see how you get to toss em in the air and they get all giggly around the three of you like you’re one of them.”

“I'm not the athletic type but one can only spend so much at the library. I needed something to do after school when I'm not working and they needed more muscle on the squad. The girls _have_ been nice, I'm not gonna lie.”

Sam twists at the waist and looks into those smoked butterscotch rings, should he tell him? Will it send him running for the halls? Then he thinks, fuck it, Gabriel will be graduating this year and Sam'll never see him again anyways. You only live once. “No, I do it for the boys. Actually,” he swallows audibly and bites his lower lip, “one boy in particular.” 

Sam would laugh at the way Gabriel’s eyes widen if he weren’t so damn nervous. “Is that so?” Gabriel asks slowly as he presses his shoulder against Sam’s. The heat from his body and the sweet smell of Gabriel's sweat fills his sinuses, turning a hot spike in Sam's gut.

“You’re a junior, aren’t you Sam?”

Sam lets out a soft sigh and looks away. “Yeah, I am.” Here he’d been afraid of rejection because he’s another guy, he never expected it to come because he’s a year younger than Gabriel.

“Hey, what’s wrong? I was only askin cause you have your-”

Gabriel’s comment is cut off when the locker room door opens and in walks Nurse Moseley. “How you doing there, Gabriel?”

“Peachy. Stretch here’s been taking good care of me, though.”

“Thank you for your help, Sam.” Ms Moseley tells Sam in her breathy voice. “You can head back out for the rest of the game, I’ll stay here with Gabriel.”

“Oh, well I guess…” he lets his voice fade as he climbs reluctantly to his feet.

Sam takes a moment to look down at Gabriel. He’s happy to see the color has returned to his face and his eyes seem to be holding their focus. “You okay?”

“I’m good, thanks, Sam,” Gabriel winks up at him and Sam feels the heat spread from his chest all the way up to the tips of his ears. Well damn, what he wouldn't give to have Gabriel look at him like that more often.

“Uh okay, then uh I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. Or whatever. Bye!” He practically trips on his own feet as he races from the locker room. What a moron, he thinks to himself as he takes a moment in the hall to compose himself.

He takes a few deep breaths and tells himself everything will go back to the way it was. Tomorrow during practice, he’ll do his thing while Gabriel does his. Sam’ll go back to sneaking long glances and he’ll try not to think about the feel of Gabriel’s back under his hand or the press of their bare shoulders for that fleeting second. He will, however, be sure to remember that _wink_ , that he knows -but maybe only during his most private of times.

He heaves out a sigh as he walks towards the gymnasium door, “Hey Stretch!”

Sam turns on his heel to find Gabriel hovering in the doorway of the locker room, “Shouldn’t you be sitting?” Concern washes over Sam as Gabriel teeters a little then braces himself on the door frame.

“I will but first, we were interrupted in there.”

“Right, you were reminding me I’m not a senior,” Sam tells him on a smile.

“No! No, that’s not what I was getting at. Damn it, I wish I knew how to do this.”

Sam cocks his head to the side as he walks closer to Gabriel, “Do what?” He's never seen Gabriel anything short of confident.

Gabriel lets out a groan and he drops his forehead into his hand. Before Sam can ask if he’s in pain he lifts his head, “I’m doing this backwards and it’s not even my place but, fuck it. Don’t you have junior prom coming up?”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t planning on going.” Where is he going with this, Sam wonders.

“Why?”

Sam shrugs his shoulder and averts his eyes as he answers with complete honestly, “There’s only one person I’d want to go with and that’s not possible so I’m just going to hang out and watch movies with my brother at his place.”

“Seems like a shame to miss out on a milestone like that. How do you know it’s not a possibility? Does this person not live around here?”

“No, that’s not it. It’s just, well what I want isn’t the way things are _done_.”

“Hmm, well I’ve always found conformity to be boring.” He steps aside and lets the door fall free, “Just something to keep in mind,” he gives Sam one more damn wink before the door closes between them.

@@@@

With a sweaty palm, Sam grasps the doorknob of his front door and yanks it open. There on his doorstep stands a fantasy come true. Gabriel slides his index finger into the collar of his button up white shirt and gives it a tug, “Are these monkey suits really necessary?”

“I don't know, I kind of like it. What do you think?” Sam opens the door wider and spins in a little circle.

He grins and feels a little bubble of pride well up when Gabriel lets out a long, low whistle, “I change my tune regarding the monkey suite. You look damn fine, Stretch.”

“Thanks, you look pretty good yourself. Come on in, I’m ready to go. I just need to grab my wallet."

Gabriel follows him inside and waits as he grabs his wallet and a set of keys, “My brother’s letting me use his car tonight, unless you’d rather take your jeep?”

“Really? He’s entrusting that sleek beauty in the driveway to you? I’ve heard about your brother. You know there’s a rumor about a kid that was never seen or heard from again after dinging that very car in the parking lot at school.”

Sam lets out a bark of laughter as he pulls a boutineer from a plastic box, “That may or may not be true.” He shakes his head and approaches Gabriel, “I got you this but you don’t have to wear it if you don’t want too.”

The grin falls from Gabriel’s face as he looks at the small, pink rose with the white ribbon, “That’s really nice Sam. I, uh, actually have one for you in my car but I kind of chickened out thinking maybe you’d think I was silly.”

Despite his shaking hands, Sam manages to pin the flower to Gabriel’s lapel without sticking him. He runs both hands down the front of Gabriel’s suit jacket and enjoys the rough feel of the stiff fabric on his palm. “I could never think you were silly, Gabriel.” After a beat he adds, “Maybe ridiculous but that’s only because you have such a mouth on you.” Without hesitation, Sam raises a hand and brushes the hair from Gabriel’s forehead. 

“Come on, Stretch,” Gabriel holds his elbow out to Sam, “let’s go cause a scene.”

Sam hooks his arm with Gabriel’s and leads him to his brother’s Baby. As he holds the door open for his date, he thinks Gabriel is right. Conformity _is_ boring.


	2. I'd Rather Be With You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my dearest friends read chapter one and wrote her vision of what came next for my favorite duo. I loved every word and I knew it needed to be added here.
> 
> It's written as a overview but I like to think these two love each so much that their story can't be contained in a formal fic. It bursts onto the screen.
> 
> After you finish this heartwarming piece, go check out the other gems she's written. You won't be dissapointed!

Imagine with me, Gabriel off at college, facetiming with Sam throughout their year apart. Brought together once again when summer arrives. A summer spent together before it's time for Sam to head off to college. A college, of course, attended by his boyfriend. 

They agree they'll keep dating steady but will wait until after college to discuss marriage because with their crazy schedules, both living in separate dorms and working between classes, it's enough to carve out time for each other. But they do, they manage it whenever possible; Sam attending almost all of Gabriel's sporting events. While he isn't going to be a professional athlete since his passion is actually architecture, (he's studying to be a civil engineer), he loves pushing his body until it feels like he's flying. To his surprise, basketball is not his favorite, it’s cross country running made even better when he’s able to convince Sam to join the team.

When they're not running together, Gabriel studies at _Biggerson's_ while Sam works behind the counter. During his breaks, they sit together in the booth and Gabriel just holds him and kisses behind his ear and while sometimes they talk quietly about their day, their futures, or their hopes and dreams, often times then not, they don't say a word. Just enjoy being together.

But in the summer of Gabriel's third year, he just can't wait anymore. He's in love with Sam, he thinks he's been in love with Sam ever since he noticed him in the bleachers at every game back in high school. With his hair in his eyes, cheering him on and staring with an intensity that he wanted to understand. An intensity that he does understand now, he thinks so anyway. Now that he knows Sam, that loyalty isn't even what he's in love with, well, not the _only_ thing. 

It's the way Sam smiles at his tomato plant. Because Gabriel’s dork loves botany and gardening and he's already planning the garden out back that will go with the house Gabriel plans to engineer. And it's the way he laughs at Gabriel's stupid jokes. And how he always, _always_ forgives Gabriel after he's done or said something stupid, which is often. Every time he pushes that line, he knows when he’s gone too far, when he’s been a complete jackass, and he wants to make it better. And every time, Sam forgives him and he lets him back into his big, stupid heart. 

Gabriel loves the way Sam kisses him and smiles at him and makes love to him or fucks him into the mattress until he can't think straight (or walk the next day). He loves his hair and his laugh and he loves...HIM.

He no longer wants to wait and so he proposes in a grassy field as the sun’s setting. Sam says yes without hesitation. They get married a year later with their brothers as their best men (and at this wedding Dean and Castiel, who never paid attention to each other in high school, notice one another. They drink, they flirt, they end the night naked and gasping for breath beside each other in the bed of the fancy hotel Sam and Gabe chose for their reception. Sure, they were a bit drunk, but that doesn't make either of them any less hot the next morning. Cue round two and a bright future ahead). 

It takes living in a cheap apartment for three years and working their asses off, but eventually, they get their house. Gabriel engineers it, makes it stand, and they hire on contractors to help them build it. Within a year, it's comple and they pick out colors and paint each room. One at a time, all the while getting licks of paint on each other and chasing one another through the house. Often ending up against a wall or on the floor making out or tearing their clothes off for a quick, dirty romp because for some reason, Gabriel’s darn cute with paint on his nose and Sam really shouldn't be that sexy in overalls.

Sam has two gardens, one on the side by the kitchen that grows tomatoes and blackberries and cucumbers and parsley and oregano and a dozen other fresh fruits, veggies, and spices. A second is in the back, the "courtyard" as Sam likes to call it, where he's turned it into a work of art with tile and twinkly lights and a little fountain with gorgeous flowers and trees and vines draped over archways. It's beautiful and Gabriel's amazed at how he could make something so perfect and yet, at the same time not surprised at all because everything touched by Sam is made good because Sam is _good_. They spend their free days out there gardening or drawing or reading or just being out in the sun with each other. Often rocking gently on the porch swing, talking or kissing or doing nothing at all.

  
As their days tick by together, Sam works towards opening a garden center and nursery and Gabriel’s just two years away from having mastered his four years of experience required for his official engineering license. 

Life isn't perfect. Sam and Gabriel aren't perfect, but they always come back to each other, they _always_ find a way to make it through together.

And they're _happy_.


End file.
